Bulldogs
outlast
Waterford

WESTERLY — The Westerly Senior Bulldogs used some defensive magic to end an explosive offensive game to beat the Waterford Lancers 49-34 in Southern New England Youth Football Conference play on Saturday.

Waterford (1-3) had scored midway through the fourth quarter to trail 42-34 and was driving again for a potential tie. But Westerly safety Jalen Valentin intercepted a pass at his own 20-yard line and ran 40 yards to the Westerly 20.

Running back Jacob Schafer ran 15 yards to paydirt for Westerly (2-2). Valentin ran for the extra point to give the Bulldogs their final lead of 49-34 with 2 minutes, 50 seconds left in the game.

Defensive end Kyle Roberts squelched the ensuing drive by the Lancers by intercepting a pass. The Bulldogs ran out the clock for the win.

Westerly had scored 12 points in each of the first three quarters while holding Waterford to six points each quarter. The Lancers scored 16 in the fourth quarter while the Bulldogs totaled 13.

Running back Ryan Holloway led the Westerly offense with four touchdowns and 143 rushing yards. He scored once in each quarter on runs of 45, 5, 5 and 20 yards.

Schafer racked up three touchdowns and 107 yards rushing. He had scoring runs of 4, 60 and 15 yards.

Junie Rios ran 4 yards to score in the third quarter.

These three scorers were sprung on most touchdowns by key blocks from left tackle Taylor Bernardoni, left guard Sage Quattromani, center Victor Gervasini, right guard Katarina Whewell and right tackle Spencer Terranova.

In addition to the pivotal fourth-quarter interceptions, the Bulldog defense shined in several other ways.

Bernardoni stuffed an extra-point conversion run and had a quarterback sack. Braden Holdredge recovered a fumble of a squib kick to open the second half. Jacob Keszyinki recovered a fumble that was forced by Noah Silva.

Bernardoni led the defense with the sack and six other tackles for a loss. Linebackers Holloway, Rios and Holloway has six, four and three tackles.

The Seniors play Montville at home at 8 p.m. on Saturday.

JUNIORS

Westerly........................... 7

Waterford.........................6

WESTERLY — The Junior Bulldogs eked out a win on Saturday by the margin of one extra point scored on a conversion run by Pete Fusaro.

After a scoreless first half, Westerly (2-2) broke the ice on a 3-yard run by Austin Frink in the third quarter. Fusaro’s extra point gave the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead.

Waterford (2-2) answered with a 25-yard scoring run. But the Lancers’ try for a tying extra-point run was stuffed by a defensive line surge led by Colby Larkin and Josh Lacerte.

The Bulldogs came up with some defensive gems in the fourth quarter.

Isaiah Plourde had two sacks and Lacerte had one. Isaiah Luzzi provided key defensive pressure on the Lancer quarterback on a third-and-long play.